Rosh Hashanah Recipes: 30 Minutes or Less

Oh no! It's Rosh Hashanah already! What am I going to cook?

It happens to all of us. "I can't believe where the time went! Just yesterday...." With food -- like other aspects of your life -- you have to get something together. People are counting on you. Take one or two deep relaxing breaths, let out a big sigh, God for help and let's get started.

For whatever reason you are rushed, holiday time traffic or unexpected company, you can use these recipes to get you back on schedule. Any one of these can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

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Beef-Tomato Skillet

4 beef cube steaks, cut into strips

1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings

2 tbsps. margarine

1 cup water

1 envelope beef-flavored mushroom soup mix

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 cup dry red wine

hot cooked noodles

In a skillet quickly cook steak strips and onion in margarine until tender. Add water and dry mushroom soup mix; simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato and wine; heat through. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Makes 4 servings.

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Jiffy Steak au Poivre

2 beef cube steaks

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 tbsps. margarine

salt

2 tbsps. Kosher brandy

Sprinkle beef cube steaks on both sides with freshly ground pepper, pressing in firmly with your hands. In a medium skillet brown the steaks very quickly in margarine, about 1 minute on each side. Sprinkle with salt. Add brandy to the skillet; flame. Remove the steaks to a warm serving platter; pour pan drippings over.

Makes 2 servings.

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Stir-Fry Beef with Asparagus

1 lb. steak, partially frozen

2 tbsps. soy sauce

1 tbsp. corn starch

1 tbsp. cooking oil

12 fresh asparagus spears

boiling water

3 tbsps. cooking oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsps. dry sherry

2 tbsps. chicken broth

Using a sharp knife, cut the steak across the grain into very thin slices. Combine the soy sauce, corn starch and the 1 tbsp. cooking oil; pour over the beef slices and stir to coat all the meat. Cut fresh asparagus on the bias into 1-inch pieces. Drop the asparagus pieces into a pan of boiling water. Simmer 1-2 minutes. Drain well.

Preheat broiler. Combine the first 5 ingredients. Brush the zucchini lightly with oil. On 4 long skewers alternately thread beef, potatoes and zucchini. Brush with catsup mixture. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for about 20 minutes; turn once and brush occasionally with sauce. Stir the parsley into the rice. Serve the kabobs on rice. Serves 4.

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Herbed Halibut Sauterne

2 fresh or frozen halibut steaks

1 tbsp. fresh or frozen chopped onion

2 tbsps. margarine

1/4 cup sauterne

2 tsps. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1/8 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

Thaw frozen fish. Preheat boiler. Cook onion in butter until tender. Add the next 4 ingredients. Simmer 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the fish with salt; brush with the wine mixture. Broil 5-6 inches from the heat for 16 minutes; turn once and brush occasionally with the wine mixture. Heat the remaining wine mixture; serve over fish.

In a skillet or wok combine chicken, chicken broth, pea pods, water chestnuts, green onion and ginger; heat to boiling. Combine corn starch, water and soy sauce; stir into the chicken mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add the tomato wedges and heat just until hot. Serve on chow mein noodles or cooked rice. Pass additional soy sauce, if desired.

Chop one egg. Combine the chopped egg, beans, celery and relish. Blend in the mayonnaise, parsley, mustard and dash salt. Serve in lettuce. Slice the remaining egg; use for garnish.

Makes 6 servings.

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Stir-Fried Beans

1 tbsp. cooking oil

1 9-oz. pkg. frozen green beans, thawed

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/4 cup boiling water

2 tbsps. sliced green onion

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. cold water

1 tsp. corn starch

Heat cooking oil in a 10-inch skillet or a wok. Add thawed green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Dissolve the chicken bouillon cube in boiling water. Add to the beans with sliced green onion and salt. Cover; cook over medium heat until the beans are crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Blend cold water and corn starch; add to the beans. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are coated.

In a medium skillet combine water, brown sugar, margarine and drink powder. Cook and stir until bubbly. Add sweet potatoes; cook, uncovered, over medium heat about 10 minutes, turning to glaze all sides of the potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

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Green Been Succotash

1/4 cup fresh or frozen chopped onion

1/4 cup fresh or frozen chopped green pepper

2 tbsps. margarine

1 16-oz. can French-style green beans, drained

1 16-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

Cook onion and green pepper in margarine until tender but not brown. Add beans and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; heat through. Garnish with green pepper rings, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

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Pea Pods with Mushrooms

1 7-oz. pkg. frozen pea pods

1 3-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

2 tbsps. margarine

Cook pea pods in boiling salted water until tender but still crisp. Meanwhile, cook mushrooms in margarine. Drain pea pods; combine with mushrooms and margarine. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

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Strawberry-Peach Sundae

2 tsps. sugar

1 tsp. corn starch

1 10-oz. package frozen strawberries, thawed

1 83/4-oz. can peach slices, drained

1/3 cup rum

vanilla ice cream

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and corn starch; gradually stir in half the strawberries. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining strawberries and drained peach slices. Heat rum in a ladle or small pan; flame and pour over fruit mixture. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

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About the Author

Chef Herschel prepares hundreds of meals a day at Aish HaTorah’s World Center in Jerusalem. He caters the five star meals for the Jerusalem Fund missions as well as the daily food for the Yeshiva students. Before arriving at Aish HaTorah Jerusalem, he received his B.A. in Business administration and his M.A. in education. While working at Aish he completed a chef’s course in Jerusalem.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 5

(5)
Anonymous,
September 11, 2008 11:07 AM

These look easy an tasty,as well as quick.
Please remember the margarine is to be parve, thanks.

(4)
WinnieJintalan,
November 1, 2006 10:54 PM

i saw your easy cooking recipes and i find them time and as well as budget savers!

(3)
AllaMarieDynkin,
September 22, 2006 10:42 PM

Good recipes

Nice and tasty recipes.

(2)
ritagoldman,
September 21, 2006 8:05 AM

excellent recipes and easy to prepare

(1)
Anonymous,
October 6, 2005 12:00 AM

careful about Worcestershire sauce

These recipes look great, thank you so much for always having great ideas. One word of caution: Some Worcestershire sauce brands are made with anchovy (fish) paste which, if you're going to serve it with meat, is not a good match, so check ingredients. chag sameach

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